Educational



(No Model.)

P SHEPPARD EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE.

No. 564,396. Patented July 21, 1896.

Fwd? Sheppard I THENORRIS PEI'ERS co, PHOYQLITHDH wuumm'ou. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK SHEPPARD, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TYVO-FlFTI-IS TO K. G. WHITTAKER, OF SAME PLACE.

EDUCATIO NAL APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,396, dated July 21, 1896.

Application filed October 30, 1895- Serial No. 56 7,420. .(No model.)

To l; whom i m y n but in the construction illustrated in the Be it known that I, FRANK SHEPPARD, a drawings are shown thirty-seven, of which citizen of the United States, residing at East one carries asingle bead, while the remaining St. Louis, in the county of St. Clair and State thirty-six arms carry combinations of beads 5 5 of Illinois, have invented a new and useful from two to ten, inclusive. For instance, the Educational Appliance, of which the followarm next to the one carrying the single bead ing is a specification. is provided with two beads, the next with My invention relates to educational applitwo groups of two beads, the next with three ances of the class designed for practically groups'of two beads, and the fifth with four 1o illustrating the principles-and operations in groups of two beads. Following this is an arithmetic, and the object in view is to proarm carrying a single group of three beads. vide an apparatus in which only those beads The next is provided with two groups of three to which the attention of the pupil is invited beads, and so on to the end of the series. are exposed to View; to provide a simple and Those arms which carry three and four groups I5 efficient arrangement of parts whereby any of beads, each group containing six or more desired combination of numbers may be probeads, are double, or constructed of two rods, duced, and, furthermore, to provide simple as shown at 9, there being insufficient space and improved means for actuating the parts upon a single rod to accommodate more than of the apparatus, whereby less of the attentwo groups containing six or more beads. The 20 tion of the teacher is absorbed by the manipgroups of beads upon an arm are separated ulation of the objects comprising the device. by spacing-collars 10, of any suitable con- Further objects and advantages of this instruction. vention will appear in the following descrip- In connection with the above-described tion, and the novel features thereof will be mechanism I employ a series of key-levers 11, 25 particularly pointed out in the appended fulcrumed at intermediate points, as shown claims. at 12, by means of suitable hubs mounted In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front perupon aspindle 13, and arranged in operative spective ofan appliance constructed in acrelation with fingers 14, extending rearwardly cordance with my invention. Fig. 2isarear from the hubs of the bead-carrying arms, 3o perspective view of the same. Fig. 3 is aparthe bead-carrying arms being held in their tial vertical section. retracted or folded positions by means of Similar numerals of reference indicate corsprings 15, connected at their lower ends to responding parts in all the figures of the drawpins 16, arranged upon the frame below the lugs. plane of the key-levers. The fingers which 3" The casing or frame 1 of the apparatus is extend rearwardly fromthe hubs of the beadprovided in its front with a plurality of slots 2, carrying arms bear upon the upper surfaces of of which the upper portions 3 are widened or the inner extremities of the fingers, whereby enlarged, and arranged, respectively, behind the springs which actuate said bead-carrying these slots in the face-plate of the frame or arms also return the key-levers to their nor- 4o casing are bead-carrying arms 4, provided mal positions.

with beads 5, the enlarged or widened por- Preferably the key-levers respectively bear tions of the slots being designed to allow said numerals indicating the number of beads beads to pass therethrough. These beadupon the arms in operative relation with carrying arms are threaded at their lower exwhich said keys are arranged, as clearly 9 5 5 trcmities into hubs 6, mounted upon a spinshown in the drawings, and in order to guide dle 7, which extends longitudinally through the inner ends of the key-levers .I employ the frame, one end of said spindle being parallel guide-pins 17, between which said headed and the other end being fitted with a levers operate. thumb-nut 8, whereby the tension thereof The operation of the apparatus will be 50 may be adjusted. Any desired number of readily understood from the foregoing de- *7 these bead-carrying arms may be employed, scription, it being obvious that except when a key-lever is depressed to throw a bead-carrying arm forward beyond the plane of the face-plate all of the beads are concealed within the casing, and hence do not serve to confuse the pupil in observing the beads to which the teacher has called attention.

It will be understood, furthermore, that the teacher is enabled, by reason of the construction of the apparatus, to expose any desired combination of beads With facility and without loss of time, and, under ordinary circumstances, by means of one hand, thereby materially simplifying the operation of devices of this class.

Furthermore, it will be seen that all of the various arithmetical operations may be illustrated, including addition, subtraction,multiplication, and division, and that when an illustration has been completed it is only necessary to release the key or keys to cause the return of the parts to their normal positions.

Particularly can problems in multiplication be illustrated by the manipulation of the minimum number of bead-carrying arms, and hence the pressure of the minimum number of keys. For instance, if it is desired to set the problem for solution of four, the multiplicand, multiplied by three, the multiplier, the result may be shown by the exposure of the third bead-carrying arm in the series containing groups of four beads, or that arm which carries three groups of four beads each. ()n the other hand, if it is desired to illustrate the product of three as a multiplicand by four as a multiplier, the arm containing four groups of three beads each may be exposed. This separation of thegroups enables the teacher to show the combination or accumulation of a number of groups, each containing a lesser number of objects to form a single group containing a greater number of objects.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be group containing a number of beads from one i to ten and contiguous arms carrying different numbers of groups each containing the same number of beads, and means for extending the arms to expose the heads, substantially as specified.

2. In an educational appliance, the combination with a casing, of a plurality of pivotal hubs, bead-carrying arms secured, respec tively, to the hubs, pivotal key-levers, and fingers carried by the hubs and arranged in the paths of the rear ends of the key-levers, said arms being spring-retracted, substantially as specified.

3. In an educational appliance, the combination ith a casing, of a plurality of pivotal beadcafrying\a rms adapt d to be exposed independently anTParranged for extension through slots in the face or front side of the casing, a spindle forming the common pivot of said arms and provided with means for adjusting its tension, and key-levers operatively connected with the arms and adapted to be actuated to expose the bead-carrying arms, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK SHEPPARD.

\Vitnesses:

E. 0. PRICE, 1). ZUNSTIN. 

